Toilet seat cover dispenser



Jan. 16, 1940- w. e. LEMMON ET AL TOILET SEAT COVER DISPENSER Filed March 23, 1958 QgSheets-Sheet l IN VENTOR. Mu MM 6EOE6EZEMMON 4N0 A44 EN rom/ezs- Jan. 16, 1940. w. G. LEMMON ET AL TOILET SEAT COVER DISPENSER Filed March 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. M1 /AM 6502551 EMMO/V 4ND A4LE/v STOWE-ZS.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 16, 1940 UNITED STATE TOILET SEAT COVER DISPENSER William George Lemmon and Allen Stowers, New York, N. Y.

Application March 2a, 1938, Serial No. 197,746

14 Claims.

This invention has to do with dispensing devices employed for the purpose of dispensing sanitary covers for toilet seats.

A dispensing device of the character with 5 which this invention is concerned is ordinarily mounted in an upright position at the rear of a toilet seat on spaced studs that are usually included as a part of a toilet bowl assembly, and which carry the hinged mounting for the toilet 10 seat. The dispensing device itself essentially in cludes a main body plate that is carried by a bracket structure that is anchored to the spaced studs. This main body plate is designed to receive a supply of sanitary covers and maintain l5 them in a position in which they may be individually dispensed as their use is required.

A device of the above noted type is characterized by the fact that the supply of covers is maintained in an exposed position. Therefore, when 20 the devices are used on toilet bowls which must also serve as urinals there is great likelihood of the lower portion of the seat covers becoming soiled or Wetted, this liability being particularly emphasized in the lavoratories of Pullman cars and coacheswvhere, the movement of the car increases the likelihood of soiling.

With the foregoing conditions in mind this invention has in view, as its foremost objective, the provision of a dispensing device for sanitary covers for toilet seats of the character above described, which includes protective means for guarding against soiling or wetting of the exposed seat covers.

In providing a dispensing device in accordance :45 with the above noted objective it is of extreme importance to provide the protective means, and

at the same time interfere with, to as small a degree as possible, the dispensing of the seat covers. Accordingly, the invention has in View, as a further object, the provision of a dispensing device of the character above noted in which the lower portion of the supply of seat covers is protected by movably mounted means which may be 45 readily removed from its protective position to permit of the dispensing of the seat covers.

More in detail the invention contemplates an arrangement wherein the protective means takes the form of one or more plates which are hingedly mounted, and which are adapted to assume either a protective position or an out of the way position permitting dispensing of the covers.

To the end of facilitating to as high a degree as possible the operation of the protective plates, the invention has in view, as a further object, the

(Cl. i -242) provision of mechanism which may be readily operated from a conveniently accessible point to cause the plates to be swung out of their proteotingposition. This phase of the invention also involves another more particular object, which is 5 the provision of spring means for yieldably maintaining the plates in their protective position. Thus when the operating mechanism has been availed of to swing the plates out of protective Y position to permit of dispensing of the cover, release of the operating mechanism will permit the springs to cause return of the plates to their protective position.

The seat covers constituting the supply maintained in the device ordinarily are joined to getherina pad-like manner, due to the use of an appropriate adhesive at the lower extremities of the cover (speaking with reference to the upright position of the covers, which they assume in the device).

Thus after the cover has been dispensed and used it becomes necessary to dispose of the same, and in order to permit of this disposal the cover must be removed from the supply pad, and inasmuch as theprotective plates will have resumed their protecting position after the cover has been dispensed, the invention has in view, as a further objective, the provision of means providing a cutting edge against which the seat cover may be urged to separate thesaine from the supply pad. This cutting edge may either take the form of a knife or serrated edge, as occasion demands, and when employed in conjunction with the protective plates above described will be preferably formed on the lower edges of the plates.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages such as arise in connection with the carrying out of the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated, as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers and which device is adapted to be mounted in an upright position at the rear of a toilet seat to present a supply of sanitary covers in position in which they may be readily dispensed. The device includes means for protecting the lower portion of the cover supply against soiling or wetting, and

this means may take the form of one or more movably mounted protecting plates. The device also includes mechanism for operating the plates from a conveniently accessible location, and which mechanism includes spring means for yieldably maintaining the plates in protective position.

The lower edges of the plates are also formed with an edge against which the seat covers may be forced to separate the same from the supply portion of the dispensing device showing the protective plates after they have been swung outoftheir protective position,

Figure 3 is a rear view of the device developing.

the operating mechanism for the plates, while Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, with parts broken away, showing the mechanism after it has been operated to swing the plates open,

Figure 5 is a detailed plan view of the hinged mounting of one of the plates, and

Figure 6 is another detailed plan view bringing out the hinged mounting of the plates and their opening movement. I

The protective means provided by this invention may be employed on these dispensing devices wherever the conditions of service warrant such use. However, the invention is made particularly with the thought of including the protecting means on dispensing devices which are employed in Pullman cars, coaches and similar moving lavatories, where the toilet bowl must also serve as a urinal.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts. and more particularly to Figure l, a dispensing device of the character with which this invention is concerned is shown as comprising a main body and it about the spaced studs that are included lit as a part of a toilet bowl assembly for the purpose of providing a hinged mounting for the seat.

The bracket I l includes an upstanding back plate M, and so far as the present invention is concerned the main body plate Ill may be either permanently secured to the back plate H, or detachably connected thereto, as occasion demands. In the form of the invention illustrated in the drawings the connection between these parts is permanent.

The main body plate lil is formed with a flange in extending about the major portion of the periphery thereof, the flange defining, at the lower extremity, a neck designated it. At appropriate points, such as at each side and at the top, the flange H3 carriespreferably integrally therewith, retaining flanges ii, iii and i9, which function to maintain a source of supply of sanitary seat covers in position on the main body plate it. A supply of seat coversZEJ preferably takes a pad-like form, each cover having a tab corresponding in shape to the neck 16, and which tab is received between the flanges defining the neck it. The lower extremities of these tabs may be connected by an adhesive in a well-known manner to provide the pad of covers constituting the supply.

Each cover in the supply pad 2t is formed with an opening corresponding to the opening in a toilet seat, and the main body plate ill carries an upraised central plate ill which conforms to the shape of the opening in the covers 29. This plate 2! is upraised from the main body plate iii a distance comparable to the extent of the flange l5, and the wall structure which maintains the plate 2 l in its upraiscd position may assume a slightly inclined or tapered construction to aid in maintaining the covers of the supply pad 29 in proper position.

It is evident that when a supply of covers is assembled with a dispensing device in accordance with the above noted description the cover which is'to be next dispensed or used is exposed, and under certain conditions there is great likelihood of the lower portion of this cover becoming soiled or wetted.

Accordingly, protective means is provided for the lower portion of the cover supply Gill, and this protective means, in the present embodiment, takes the form of a pair of protective plates 22 and 23. These plates 22 and 23 completely cover the neck structure It, and extend up over the supply pad 2d a required distance. It is obvious that the extent of coverage of the supply pad 28 may vary as circumstances require.

The plates 22 and 23 overlap, as shown at 24, and the lower portion of each of the overlapping edges is cut away to provide recesses at 25 and 26 respectively. Each of these recesses accommodates the tab of a seat cover when the latter is in seat covering position, the tab being shown at 121 in Figure l.

The upper edge of each of the recesses 25 and 26 is rendered of a construction which will cause a separation of the tabqzl from the supply pad 29 when urged thereagainst. In the form of the invention illustrated, the upper edges of the recesses 25 and 26 are serrated, as shown at 28.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 5 and 6, thedoors 22 and 23 are shown as being substantially of a duplicate construction. Each of these doors, at the edge remote from the overlap 26, has formed therewith, preferably integrally, a side flange 29, and which side flange 29 carries spaced curled-over ears 3%? (also see Figure 4) which define openings for receiving a hinge pin 3i. Each of the hinge pins 3i also passes through the opening defined by a curled.- over ear 32 that is formed on a supporting plate 33. This supporting plate 33 is shown as anchored to the back of the main body plate 5B and in front of the back plate I l of the bracket H. The anchorage may be effected in any desired manner, as by spot welding.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3 and 4, the back plate 54 of the bracket H is shown as carrying a pair of bars which are spaced apart to define a channel 35. The bars 34 may! be anchored to the back plate i4 iniany preferred manner, as by the fastening elements shown at 36.

An actuating bar .i'l one end at 38 that is snugly received in the channel (-35, and cross pieces 39 serve to maintain the extremity 38 of the actuating bar 37 in the channel 35. At the upper end the actuating bar 3? passes beneath a plate lti that is spaced from the main body plate l5) and connected thereto by the fastening elements shown at M. This actuating bar 37 at its upper end carries an operating member, as shown at 42.

Inasmuch as the back plate IE] is formed with a pair of openings at .3, for the purpose of facili-- tating in the removal of what is left of any of the supply pads 20, the retaining plate is in ofis-et relationship with respect to the channel Thus the extremity of the actuating bar 3'! which passes beneath the retaining plate 45 is offset with respect to the extremity 33 received in the channel 35.

Pivotally secured, as shown at M, to the portion Bil of the actuating bar, are a pair of links 35 and t5, and each of the links 45and lli is pivotally connected, as shown at 4'? and 43, to levers All and 55 respectively. The lever 49 is pivotally mounted, as shown at 51, on the back plate l4, while the lever lll is pivotally mounted, as shown at 52. At the upper extremities the levers 39 and 563 are connected to links 53 and 54 by the pivotal connection shown at 55 and 55.

Referring for the moment to Figure 5, it will be noted that the curled portions 35 of the side flanges 29 of each of the doors 22 and 23 have rigidly secured thereto a short arm 5'! that is 1 curled over at its free extremity to define an opening 53. The connection to the curled-over portion 35, designated 59, may be effected by soldering or spot welding.

Referring now again more particularly to Fig ures 3 and i, it will be noted that the link 55 is connected to one of the short arms 5'! by a pivot 25 pin passing through the opening 58 and aligned openings in the bifurcated extremity of the link 53, the pivotal connection in its entirety being referred to as 60. The link 54 is connected in a similar manner to the plate 22 by a pivotal connection shown at 6!.

A coil spring 62 has one end anchored to the plate 33, as shown at 53, while its other end is secured to the lever 49 adjacent to the pivotal connection 55, as shown at 54. Similarly a coil spring 65 has one end anchored to the plate as shown at 55, and the other end to the lever 55, as shown at 61.

While the operation of the above described mechanism is believed to be obvious, it may be briefly described bynoting that with the dispensing device as an entirety positioned in an upright manner at the rear of a toilet seat the supply pad 25 of sanitary covers will be maintained on the main body plate ill by the flanges l1, l8 and I5 and the central raised plate ii. The springs 52 and 55 function to maintain the plates 22 and 23, in their closed overlapping protective position. Thus the lower portion of the covers 20, which ordinarily would be exposed, are protected against being soiled.

When a person is desirous of dispensing one of the covers from the supply pad 25 he will push down on the operating member 42. This causes a downward movement of the actuating bar 31, and the lower extremity 38 of this bar moving downwardly in the channel 35 causes a downward movement of the pivotal connection 44. Thus the toggle structure comprising the links 45 and 45 is spread or opened to move the pivotal connecting points 41 and 48 relatively outwardly. Thus theopposite extremities 55 and 55 of the levers 49 and 55 are moved inwardly against the influence of the springs 62 and 55, to impart a pull on the links 55 and 54, which, through the short arms 51, causes a swinging open of the plates 22 and 23.

The person will then take his other hand and by grasping the tab shown at 68 may pull one of the sanitary covers away from the supply pad 20, to cover the toilet seat in a manner desired. At this point the operating member 42 will be released to cause the springs 62 and B5 to return the protective plates 22 and 23 to their protecting position. While in covering position the seat cover'will be connected by the tab 21 to the supply pad 20. After use the separation ofthe cover from the supply pad 20 for disposal purposes is readily accommodated by the serrated edges 28.

It is evident that the particular extent and design of the protective plates 22 and 23 may be varied, and wide modification of the particular type of operating mechanism may also be carried out without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispensing device of the character described which includes a main body plate, and a pair of protective plates hingedly carriedby the main body plate, mechanism for causing pivotal movement of said protective plates comprising an actuating bar movably mounted on said main body plate, a pair of levers pivotally mounted, a toggle arrangement connecting said actuating bar to said levers, and links connecting each of said levers to one of said plates whereby move-- ment of the actuating bar causes swinging movement of the plates.

2. In a dispensing device of the character described which includes a main body plate, and a pair of protective plates hingedly carried by the main body plate, mechanism for causing pivotal movement of said protective plates comprising an actuating bar movably mounted on said main body plate, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on structure carried by the main body plate, a link connecting each of said levers to one of said protective plates, and a pair of springs, each of said springs being anchored at one end to one of said levers and at the other end to structure carried by the main body plate, and which springs normally affect the lever to maintain the protective plates in protective position, but the influence of which springs may be overcome by movement of theactuating bar to swing the protective plates out of protective position.

3. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate having a shape substantially conforming to seat covers to be positioned thereon, means for mounting said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled flat on said plate, the top seat cover of the pad being removable from said retaining means into seat covering position, protecting means carried by said main body plate and covering the lower portion of the supply pad, said protecting means being movable, and mechanism for moving said protecting means out of protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover from the retaining means on the main body plate into seat covering position.

l. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of seat covers which are joined together at the bottom to define the pad assembled flat on the main body plate, the top seat cover of the pad being removable from the retaining means into seat covering position while still joined to the pad, protecting means pivotally carried by said main body plate for protecting the lower portion of said supply pad, and mechanism for swinging said protecting means on its pivotal mounting for removing the same from protectve position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover.

5. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled fiat thereon, a protecting plate covering a lower portion of the supply pad and pivotally mounted on a substantially vertical axis, and mechanism for swinging said protecting plate on its axis to remove the same from protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover from the pad.

6. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled fiat thereon, protecting means covering the lower portion of said supply pad and pivotally carried by said main body plate, spring means yieldably maintaining said protecting means in protecting position, and mechanism operable to overcome said spring means to move said protecting means out of said protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover from the pad.

'7. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by said main body plate for maintaining a supply of seat covers assembled fiat thereon, protecting means pivotally carried by the main body plate to cover the lower portion of the said seat covers, an operating member carried by said main body plate at the top, and operating connections between said operating member and said protecting means whereby said operating member may be actuated to move said protecting means out of protecting position.

8. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by said main body plate for maintaining a supply of seat covers assembled flat thereon, at protecting plate for covering a lower portion of said supply pad, said protecting plate being pivotally mounted on a substantially vertical axis, spring means yieldably maintaining said protecting platein protective position, an operat ing member carried by said main body plate at the top, and linkage between said operating member and said protecting plate whereby said operating member may be actuated to move said plate against the effect of said spring means out of protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover.

9. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by said main body plate for maintaining a supply of seat covers assembled fiat thereon, protecting means for covering the lower portion of said seat covers, said protecting means being pivotally mounted, spring means yieldably maintaining said protecting means in protective position, an operating member carried by said main body plate at the top, toggle mechanism carried by said main body plate on the face opposite from that carrying the supply of seat covers, said toggle mechanism being operably connected to said protecting means, and a link connecting said toggle mechanism to said operating member.

10. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate having a shape substantially conforming to seat covers to be positioned thereon, means for mounting said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled fiat on said plate, the top seat cover of the pad being removable from said retaining means into seat covering position, a pair of complemental protecting plates pivotally carried by said main body plate and covering the lower portion of said supply pad, and mechanism for swinging said protecting plates out of protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover.

11. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled fiat thereon, a pair of complemental protecting plates covering the lower portion of the supply pad, and pivotally mounted on substantially vertical axes, and mechanism for swinging said protecting plates about their axes out of protecting position to provide for the dispensing of seat covers.

12. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled fiat thereon, a pair of complemental protecting plates covering the lower portion of the supply pad and pivotally mounted on substantially vertical axes, spring means yieldably maintaining said protecting plates in protective position, toggle mechanism carried by said main body plate and operatively connected to said protecting plates, an operating member carried by said main body plate in accessible position at the top thereof, and an actuating bar connecting said operating member to said toggle mechanism.

13. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright po sition at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining fiat on the said main body plate, a protecting plate pivotally mounted on a substantially vertical axis and covering a lower portion of said supply pad, spring means yieldably maintaining said protecting plate in protective position, and mechanism for moving said protecting plate out of protecting position to provide for the dispensing of a seat cover from the supply pad on the main body plate into seat covering position, said protecting plate presenting a lower edge against which a dispensed seat cover may be urged to separate said seat cover from the pad.

14. A dispensing device for sanitary toilet seat covers comprising a main body plate, means for mounting the said main body plate in upright position at the rear of a toilet seat, retaining means carried by the main body plate for maintaining a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled flat on the said main body plate, and a pair of a supply pad of sanitary seat covers assembled complemental protecting plates pivotally mounted on substantially vertical axes and covering edges against which a dispensed seat cover may the lower portion of said supply pad, said probe urged to separate the seat covers from the suptecting plates being movable out of protect ply pad.

ing position to provide for the dispensing of 2. WILLIAM GEORGE LEMMON. 5 seat cover from the supply pad on the main body ALLEN STOWERS.

plate into seat covering position, said protecting plates in protective position presenting lower 

